Micro-channel fabrication by femtosecond laser to arrange neuronal cells on multi-electrode arrays

Abstract

We propose and demonstrate micro-channel fabrication by femtosecond-laser processing to arrange neuronal cells on multi-electrode arrays (MEAs). When neuronal cells were seeded in the micro-channels on MEAs, they elongated their neurites along the channel and finally formed the network patterned on MEAs. The spontaneous electrical activity of the neuronal networks on MEAs was evaluated by using electrophysiological systems, indicating that patterned network was functionally activated along the channels. The present method is applicable to analyze network dynamics of living neuronal cells patterned artificially.